NJPW Destruction in Kobe (21/9/14) Preview

Added 20/09/2014 by Marc Goldberg

New Japan Pro Wrestling will be hosting DESTRUCTION in KOBE on the 21st September and will be available to watch via UStream. After watching the amazing G1 Climax 24 tournament they hosted, I was hooked on NJPW and when I saw this event was available via UStream I immediately purchased it and in this preview I will go down the match card, what I expect from the match and who I think will come out on top.

Well any match with the Young Bucks in has potential to be 5 stars regardless who they work and with I should expect no less with this match. From this match I expect a lot of high flying action from both teams but with Ishii he can help slow it down a bit so the audience can catch their breath. I expect the Young Bucks to steal the show like they do every time but I feel that Ishii may surprise us with some decent high flying moves of his own.

Not expecting a 5 star classic for this one as it’s really just a preview for when Shelley and KUSHIDA defend the IWJP Junior Tag titles against Taichi and El Desperado. But should still be a decent match with some nice high flying and technical spots.
Match Winner prediction: El Desperado, Taichi and TAKA Michinoku

Again, this is basically a preview match for when Tencozy defend the NWA World Tag Team titles against Nagata and Nakanishi. Part of what made the G1 Climax tournament this year so great, were the matches that Honma were in, he didn’t win one match yet some people are calling him the VIP due to how well he performed so I expect him to steal the show once again here but not pick up the win as it’ll keep the magic going.

This match will be a pure wrestling match with two of the hottest Junior Heavyweights in NJPW and it will be purely to see who the better man is. They’ve both traded wins against each other and I expect KUSHIDA to retain the title due to the incredible role he has been on.

AJ Styles was, in my view, the VIP for the G1 Climax 24 and one of the reasons was because of his match with Naito. Naito defeated Styles in that match even though Styles worked over the head wound Naito received the previous night and because Naito pinned Styles then it could allow Naito to once again challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and give Styles another challenger other than Okada. Ibushi has also stated that he intends to enter the heavyweight and to my knowledge this will be the first time AJ Styles and Ibushi will collide and I expect Ibushi and Naito to win but by pinning Tonga

Basically, The Bullet Club vs Chaos rivalry will continue and these guys have quite a bit of history especially when it comes to the G1 Climax as in 2012 Okada defeated Anderson in the finals of the G1 Tournament to win it. They will also fight for Okada’s right to challenge the champion at the DESTRUCTION in Okayama event, though in this match, it’s all about the tag team titles, something Okada has never won. I don’t expect Chaos to win the belts here but I do expect current jobber YOSHI to get a great showing but in the end take the fall to Karl Andersom so he has momentum going into the next event, but then again I didn’t expect Davey Boy Smith to beat Tanahashi on day 11 of the G1 tournament so anything can happen.
Match Winner prediction: Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows

Match 8: Togi Makabe vs Hirooki Goto

There isn’t a huge amount to say about Makabe vs Goto other than the fact that this will be physical and will probably make you cringe multiple times. Should be a fairly decent match, with Makabe trying to settle the score with Goto after Goto went after the injured jaw in the G1 Tournament and I expect Makabe to pick up the win here.

Match Winner prediction: Togi Makabe

Match 9: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Katsuyori Shibata

The match NJPW fans everywhere were waiting for happened during the G1 Climax and the rematch is happening in Kobe. Tanahashi is widely considered to be one of, if not the best in the world and there isn’t anything left for him to accomplish in NJPW, meanwhile Shibata’s stock has risen to the point that he got a win off of Tanahashi at G1 Climax and could easily be a contender for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship down the line. This, in my opinion will be the match of the night with some great technical wrestling and a lot of false finishes and Tanahashi will make Shibata look like a main event player in this match. Shibata could use the win and go to face Styles for the title but I wouldn’t mind seeing Tanahashi win so then they can have a rubber match.

Fale and Nakamura have established quite a rivalry this year with them continuing to beat the crap out of each other with Fale actually beating Nakamura for the IWGP IC belt back in the main event of Dominion. Nakamura, however, defeated Fale to advance to the finals of the G1 tournament this year, though in the end lost to fellow Chaos member Okada. Each of the matches these guys has gotten better and I’m sure this one will not disappoint and I expect the King of Strong Style to take back the IWGP IC title but with Fale looking very strong in defeat by kicking out of several Boma-Ye’s and Chaos will get a bit of momentum over Bullet Club.

Match Winner Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura

Overall should be a great show, with some decent matches, all different styles of wrestling and I’m looking forward to see what The Young Bucks do in their tag team match, Tanahashi vs Shibata rematch and to see if Nakamura regains the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.

Thanks for reading and I hope you all get to see the event and you can follow me on twitter @MarcGoldberg1